Control for parent roll unwinding apparatus and methods

Abstract

A control system for a converting line has a sensor configured to sense a distance between the sensor and a surface of a roll of web material as the roll of web material is unwound from an unwinder and directed to the converting line. The controller is configured to: (i) determine a diameter measurement of the roll as the roll rotates based upon the sensor signals; (ii) store a plurality of data structures in a memory of a controller of a control system wherein the data structures comprise a plurality of data items associated together as the diameter measurements of the roll of the web material; (iii) process by a statistical regression analysis the data structures associated with the diameter; and (iv) generate signals for controlling the converting line based upon the processed diameter measurements.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of controlling a converting line, the method comprising:
 providing a sensor configured to sense a distance between the sensor and a surface of a roll of web material, the roll of the web material to be unwound from an unwinder and directed to the converting line; 
 enabling the sensor to generate signals representative of the distance between the sensor and the roll as the roll rotates and the web material is unwound; wherein the roll of web material is non-uniformly round; 
 determining diameter measurements of the roll as the roll rotates based upon the sensor signals, wherein the diameter measurements correspond to an amount of non-uniform roundness of the roll; 
 storing a plurality of data structures in a memory of a controller of a control system of the converting line, the data structures comprising a plurality of data items associated together as the diameter measurements of the roll; 
 with a processor associated with the controller of the control system of the converting line, processing by a statistical regression analysis the data structures associated with the diameter measurements; and 
 enabling the controller to generate signals for controlling the converting line and the unwinder based upon the processed diameter measurements. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining an amount of the web material unwound from the roll based upon the processed diameter measurements. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of enabling the control includes enabling the control to send signals to a graphic user interface associated with the converting line indicative of a time to unwind an amount of material from the roll. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of enabling the control includes enabling the control to send signals to a graphic user interface associated with the converting line indicative of the amount of material to be unwound from the roll. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 correlating the diameter measurements and the amount of the web material unwound from the roll; 
 structuring the plurality of data structures stored in the memory of the controller of the control system for the converting line with data representative of the amount of the web material unwound from the roll; and 
 enabling the controller to generate signals for controlling the converting line based upon the processed diameter measurements and the amount of the web material unwound from the roll. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining a caliper measurement of the web based upon the processed diameter measurements for successive rotations of the roll as the web material is unwound from the roll. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 correlating the diameter measurements and the caliper measurements; 
 structuring the plurality of data structures stored in the memory of the controller of the control system for the converting line with data representative of the caliper measurements of the web material; 
 with the processor associated with the controller of the control system of the converting line, processing by a statistical regression analysis the data structures associated with the caliper measurements and the diameter measurements; and 
 enabling the controller to generate signals for controlling the converting line based upon the processed diameter measurements and the processing caliper measurements. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of storing the plurality of data structures in the memory of the controller of the control system for the converting line includes data structures associated with manufacturing of the roll. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of enabling the control includes enabling the control to send signals to a graphic user interface associated with the converting line indicative of a defect in the web based at least in part upon the data structures associated with the manufacturing of the roll. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of enabling the control includes enabling the control to send signals to equipment in the converting line to make adjustments to operation of the converting line equipment based at least in part upon the data structures associated with the manufacturing of the roll. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of storing the plurality of data structures in the memory of the controller of the control system for the converting line includes data structures comprising a plurality of data items associated together as diameter measurements and an amount of web material unwound from other rolls previously processed in the converting line; and
 wherein the step of enabling the control includes enabling the control to send signals to equipment in the converting line to make adjustments to operation of the equipment based at least in part upon the data structures associated with the diameter measurements, and the amount of the web material unwound from the other rolls previously processed in the converting line. 
 
     
     
       12. A control system for a converting line, the control system comprising:
 a sensor configured to sense a distance between the sensor and a surface of a roll of web material wherein the roll of the web material is unwound from an unwinder and directed to the converting line and the roll of web material is non-uniformly round, the sensor being enabled to generate signals representative of the distance between the sensor and the roll as the roll rotates and the web material is unwound; 
 a controller including a processor and memory, the controller being configured to: (i) determine diameter measurements of the roll as the roll rotates based upon the sensor signals wherein the diameter measurements correspond to an amount of non-uniform roundness of roll; (ii) store a plurality of data structures in a memory of a controller of a control system wherein the data structures comprise a plurality of data items associated together as the diameter measurements of the roll; (iii) process by a statistical regression analysis the data structures associated with the diameter measurements; and (iv) generate signals for controlling the unwinder and the converting line based upon the processed diameter measurements. 
 
     
     
       13. The control system of  claim 12  wherein the controller is configured to determine an amount of the web material unwound from the roll, store a plurality of data structures in the memory of the controller that include the amounts of the web material unwound from the roll, and generate signals for controlling the converting line based upon the processed the diameter measurements and the amount of the web material unwound from the roll. 
     
     
       14. The control system of  claim 13  wherein controller is enabled to send signals to a graphic user interface associated with the converting line, the signals being indicative of the amount of the web material unwound from the roll. 
     
     
       15. The control system of  claim 13  wherein the controller is enabled to send signals to a graphic user interface associated with the converting line, the signals being indicative of a time to unwind an amount of the web material from the roll. 
     
     
       16. The control system of  claim 13  wherein the controller is enabled to: (v) store in in the memory data structures comprising a plurality of data items associated together as the diameter measurements and the amount of web material unwound from other rolls of web material previously processed in the converting line; and (vi) send signals to equipment in the converting line to make adjustments to operation of the equipment based at least in part upon the data structures associated with the diameter measurements and the amount of web material unwound from the other rolls of web material previously processed in the converting line. 
     
     
       17. The control system of  claim 12  wherein the controller is configured to determine a caliper measurement of the web based upon diameter measurements for successive rotations of the roll as the web is unwound from the roll, store a plurality of data structures in the memory of the controller that include the caliper measurements, process by a statistical regression analysis the data structures associated with the caliper measurements, and generate signals for controlling the converting line based upon the processed caliper measurements and the processed diameter measurements. 
     
     
       18. The control system of  claim 12  wherein the controller is enabled to: (v) store in the memory data structures associated with manufacturing of the roll; and (vi) send signals to equipment in the converting line to make adjustments to operation of the equipment based at least in part upon the data structures associated with the manufacturing of the roll.